idol top 36: round one

Audition rounds on Idol are hit or miss for me. I like to watch, but I mostly save them on my DVR and watch while I'm folding laundry on the weekends. Hollywood week is similar, but it starts to suck me in with the drama. By the time the judges chose the top 36, I'm settled in for the season.

Tonight was the first round of the top 36 performances - the first live show of the season. Let's see if I have this right - the top 36 are broken into 3 teams of 12. Each week, a 12 team competes for the top 3 spots (top boy, top girl, and the next highest vote earner). That will give us 9 at the end of three weeks, then the judges will pick additional 3 wild cards for the top 12, who move on to the big stage. Do I have it?

I'm not sure how often or how much detail I will be using to blog on Idol this season. I'm guessing it will be some combination of ranting, silly 14-year-old girl swooning, and pretending to be a Hollywood record producer.

Here's what I have for you this week. A few words on each of the contestants, and my picks for who should go on to the next round.

Jackie: The girls were much weaker than the boys, but I didn't mind her. She's charming, and she picked a tough song to sing (Little Less Conversation, Elvis). Did not love the Sandra Dee pants with hi-top sneakers.

Ricky: Who is this guy? Nice voice, but boring. Judges really like him though.

Alexis: Cute and sassy singing Aretha. I think she "created" this image, but it seems to work for her. The judges are eating it up.

HOLD THE PHONE. I JUST SPOTTED NEIL PATRICK HARRIS IN THE CROWD. CONTINUE.

Brent: Again, who is this guy? Nice, normal, country singer. Snooze.

Stevie: Cute and 17, but she doesn't have the chops for this stage.

Anoop: Love him. He sang Angel of Mine by Monica. I used to love that song! He's genuine and talented, but awkward. America will love him. Don't know if he'll get the votes, but I'm guessing he would be a judge wild card pick.

Casey: Super cute, but horrendous song choice (The Police?!?).

Michael: This is that guy who works on a oil rig. Come on, America loves him. He's having fun and looking comfortable singing the always likeable Gavin DeGraw song. Fun.

Ann Marie: She should be selling me software at a marketing conference.

Stephen: Yikes. At heart, I think he's a piano crooner, but he tried to do some sort of Motown version of Michael Jackson's Rock With Me. As Paula said, you can't touch that song.

Tatiana: SEND THIS GIRL HOME. SHE IS COMPLETELY LOONEY TOONS.

Danny: This boy had me from the very beginning. He can probably thank the producers for that, but he just seems like a genuinely good guy with real talent. And obviously not too worried about cool guy image because he sang Mariah Carey - and rocked it.

My boy picks:

1) Danny 2) Anoop

My girl picks:

1) Alexis 2) Jackie

Wild card:

Michael

Paula Notes: Standing ovations, slurring, mullet formation on top of head.